Troublemakers warned to stay away by new Bulwell sergeant

Drug offending and antisocial behaviour (ASB) rates have both dropped across the area in recent months.

Targeted warrants, patrols, and days of action have all previously been used to good effect by the Bulwell neighbourhood policing team.

And after recently take over the role, new sergeant Martyn Barber has vowed to continue building on this work to try and drive down crime.

He said: “My message to anyone thinking of causing trouble is don’t offend in Bulwell – you’re not welcome here.

“We have a well-established neighbourhood policing team who are very good at identifying offenders and knowing the sorts of crimes they’re committing.

“Our officers carry out a high number of warrants, targeting specific premises where intelligence suggests drug dealing is taking place from, or drug users are going to.

"Going forward, we’re looking to build on this work by doing more drug raids, as well as further action like visible and plain clothed patrols and other operations.

“We’ve also held lots of days of action with a specific focus on targeting drug activity, ASB, shoplifting, and things like that in the past, and we will continue with that, going forward.

“Bulwell has a great community, so we’re absolutely committed as a policing team to doing everything we can to stop people from ruining that for other people.”

Reducing drug offending and ASB represents two of the three policing priorities for Bulwell, along with cracking down on acquisitive crimes, like theft and burglary.

Drug-related crime has dropped by 17 per cent in the town, when comparing the period between last December and February to the three months before – September to November.

The last three months have also seen ASB reports – including off-road bikers and other nuisance behaviour – reduce by ten per cent, compared to the three months before.

Sgt Barber said: “As the weather gets better, reports of ASB may become more of an issue, in terms of the off-road bikes and things like that.

“We know this has been a source of problems in the past, which is why we’ve previously done days of action, so we will continue doing this, using the off-road bike teams, where necessary.

“Our teams also do regular targeted patrols, particularly around ASB and stopping shoplifters, and we’re very quick at supporting the shops, getting to know the offenders circulated, and arresting them.

“We usually arrest two or three suspects a week, but our main aim is for longer term fixes through securing Criminal Behaviour Orders in court for anyone looking to come to Bulwell and cause problems.”

In terms of acquisitive crimes, there have been mixed results, with total thefts going up by two per cent over the same period, and robberies dropping by 64 per cent - from 14 offences to five.

The numbers of burglary offences, meanwhile, have increased from 15 to 20 – a rise of 33 per cent – although steps are being taken to bring this down.

This will be aided by £133,000 in Safer Streets funding to crackdown on burglary and ASB in the area, which was recently secured by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire.

Home security devices like Ring doorbells will be purchased for residents with the funding, while it will also be used to set up extra CCTV cameras in the town centre and at open spaces.

Sgt Barber said of the funding: “Burglary isn’t a particularly prominent crime in Bulwell, but it does happen, so any funding we can get to support any would-be victims is really welcomed.

“We’ve already identified certain streets and addresses that have been victims of burglary in the past to offer them things like Ring doorbells, to make the area more secure.

“It’s also a great thing that the funding is going to be used to help crackdown on ASB and other concerns, by providing the area with more cameras.

“Everything we do is centred on using the powers at our disposal to make Bulwell as safe as possible for its residents and people who pass through.

“Anyone who tries to jeopardise that isn’t welcome in our area.

“We’ve done a lot of work already as a team, but we will continue to build on that, and will always be led by the types of crime the public wants us to focus on.”